paperback_whiplash's reviews
307 reviews

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

adventurous slow-paced

4.75

Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra by Laura Galloway

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

I find memoirs hard to rate lower than 5 stars as it feels like I'm rating someone's life rather than the book. I don't know who Laura was and I was concerned the "care factor" wouldn't be there, but this book intrigued me and I'm really glad I read it. 

Laura shows you her life leading up to moving to Kautokeino, Norway, and her time there in rotating chapters. It was a very touching memoir, I cared deeply for her.

I'd learn a long time ago that part of surviving in my family was not to make waves, especially not doing something that might make anyone express joy or enthusiam. If you floated your baloon, it would unceremoniously shot down. 

I highly recommend this memoir. 

Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely perfect duology. Ione Hawthorn is such a stand out charter in this book. Easily one of my favourite characters to date.  Sad to say good bye to them all, but a duology structure was a perfect fit for this story.  

Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

Action-packed sci-fi epic.

There was a bigger emphasis on the gangsters and cultists than I originally thought. It felt like a set-up book for the rest of the trilogy. Lots of world-building, and tons of alien species to get your head around. I was abusing that glossary at the end of the book lol.  The way space is described is super creepy. The thought of being stuck in space with the  Architects lurking around somewhere ... no thanks.

Reminded me of the dread feeling I got from his other novel "Children of Ruin". 

I definitely will be continuing the series. 

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

slow-paced

1.0

Had a very creepy interesting premise that I was excited about.  I quickly lost interest, however. I found the first 50% of the book more frustrating than scary.

Eve invites this family into her house, they were only meant to be there for a few minutes as the dad shows his kids around his childhood home. The comedy of errors ensues starting with one of the kids playing hide and seek and none of the adults can find her. Then a storm starts, and the family can’t possibly drive in the storm, so they have to stay overnight (eye roll). The next day they’re taking their sweet ass time leaving and they start using Eve’s kitchen to have breakfast. I was pretty over it at this point and was frustrated that Eve hadn’t just kicked them out as soon as the kid started playing hide and seek and being a brat. 
 
 The rest of the book was just crazy and confusing for the sake of it. I do not like the trope of unreliable narrators, and I don’t think it’s a good device to use in a horror novel as I want to try and believe the horrors of this house. Instead, I was thinking “yeah, Eves gone crazy.”

 

The ending was disappointing and rushed. The story wasn’t original and found it very predictable. 

Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival by Joe Simpson

adventurous dark inspiring medium-paced

4.25

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Would have been a 4.5 star read of Daphne hadn't been a food moaner. Honestly gave me the creeps everytime it was mentioned.

"Keep it PG, Daphne," Ashleigh teases. "Some of the kids are still awake." At my baffled look, she says, "You were doing you good-food moan."
"Sorry," I say, mouth full.

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

Really liked the magic system in this book. The magic had limitations and drawbacks which made them limit their usage of it. It felt more realitic. It never felt convenient for the story progression for their magic to "not work" in conflict or they decided not to use it. I guess I'm saying it didn't feel surface level and it was a more complex magic system than I thought it was going to be.
I'll be picking up the next one shortly.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have no idea how to rate this book. Don't let the little cute plush hedgehog on the front cover fool you. This book is fucked up. 

Even after reading the trigger warnings and I was still spinning.